Arkansas Train Crash: Two Killed, Two Injured In Hoxie Accident

Two people died and two more were injured in the collision of two Union Pacific freight trains carrying toxic chemicals collided in Arkansas Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reported. Some people in Hoxie, a small town about 90 miles northwest of Memphis, Tennessee, were evacuated after the 3 a.m. crash, the Associated Press reported.

Even though both the trains carried toxic materials, none appears to have been released in the accident, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management spokesman Kendell Snyder said in a statement. He could not identify what toxic items were onboard.

The victims from the accident are believed to be members of the crew. The names of those killed and injured have not been released. “We're still conducting an investigation. We haven't made any notifications,” Union Pacific spokesman Brandon Morris said in a statement.

A fire broke out after the crash, Snyder said, addubg diesel fuel that spilled from one of the trains likely added to the blaze. The flames took about seven hours to extinguish, Morris said.

“A fire involving one of the train engines was reported still burning at daybreak; however, it is not believed to be threatening any of the toxic cargo,” Arkansas state police said in a statement.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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